Which outcomes related to regional anesthesia are most important for orthopedic surgery patients?

Abstract

An increasing body of evidence supports the benefits of regional anesthesia in orthopedic surgery. Compared with systemic anesthetic and analgesic approaches, these benefits include more focused and sustained pain control, less systemic side effects, improved patient comfort, earlier mobilization and hospital discharge, lower rates of advanced service requirements, and lower perioperative morbidity and mortality. However, there is discussion about the various outcomes as judged by patients and heath care practitioners. This article recapitulates the literature and presents an overview of endpoints.

Keywords: Complications; Economic advantages; Functional outcome; Hospital stay; Outcomes; Pain management; Regional anesthesia.